Consumer research company IHS recently projected that almost 80% of the U.S. population that are of driving age will own smartphones by 2016. We generally know how these devices are used as the average consumer migrates toward a fully connected lifestyle; checking status updates, sending and receiving texts, finding a restaurant, maybe even taking a call or two after posting a new selfie. 

The ways these devices are used in a moving vehicle are resurrecting the issue of driver distraction among major media outlets as well as state and federal regulators. Learning of the practical and disparate impact of this usage can provide additional business opportunities for all mobile electronics professionals. 

According to Distraction.gov, a Department of Transportation website, there was a nine percent increase in the amount of vehicular injuries from 2011 to 2012 in crashes involving a distracted driver. Yes, you can be distracted while eating a sloppy burger, applying makeup or slapping the kids in the back seat, but this increase is likely due to more people using smartphones and other handheld devices while driving. 

The states have taken notice. As of February 2014, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that 12 states have banned all handheld in-car usage of cellphones and have made this a primary enforcement law, meaning that you can be cited for this offence alone and not in conjunction with another primary offence which was previously the case. In addition, 41 states have outlawed texting and all but four treat this as a primary offense. 

What about the practical issues? While driving at 55 miles per hour, sending or receiving a text takes your eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving blind for the length of a football field. 25% of teens respond to a text once or more every time they drive, and 20% of teens and 10% of parents admit to having extended, multi-message text conversations while driving. These are the people who admit to it; imagine the total percentage of drivers out there who are texting right now. You’ve seen them – weaving in a lane, blowing through a red light and braking hard to avoid a collision. 

There’s more. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in a 2012 study, reported that newly licensed female drivers were twice as likely as males to use an electronic handheld device while driving. And in 2011 the Pew Research Center said cellphone owners between the ages of 18 and 24 exchanged an average of 109.5 messages on a normal day. Do you think they kept those smartphones in their backpacks while they drove? 

Remember the average age of a vehicle on the road today is 11.3 years, which means over 150 million vehicles are out there that need a hands-free solution and we can assume that a big percentage of those distracted kids are driving those cars. Advanced Bluetooth and voice control products are in your assortment right now, and they should be heavily pushed with the strong message that using a cellphone while driving will get you ticketed just like running a stop sign.  Have your customer imagine driving on the Interstate with their eyes closed for about 4 ½ seconds, the equivalent of sending or receiving the average text. Kinda scary, huh?

Getting past the negative sell makes the positive sell much easier. BT audio streaming is a joy once someone discovers it. Hands-free call making and taking isn’t distraction free but it won’t get you pulled over. And it’s a cool new in-dash receiver with a nice display, plus it also charges your phone (or e-cig…whatever) and is affordable – a bonus!

There is no silver bullet here – just a practical, sensible approach to selling safety and convenience. When a majority of your potential customer base is already distracted, they might likely appreciate what you are selling and reward you with their business if you know the facts and communicate the benefits with the understanding that you are not going to change their core behaviors. 

We are entering a new era where an increasing number of people are living a connected lifestyle.  More than ever, consumers will be seeking ways to improve their connected experience in their homes, in their cars and on the fly. As an industry, we must capitalize on helping customers achieve that experience by turning them on to more innovative, connected products and demonstrating them in ways that are fully relevant to their increasingly connected lifestyles.